@moonbus said
There is an interview with John Cleese about Fawlty Towers. He claims he interviewed several hotel owners to collect ideas for the show and nearly every one of the episodes is based on accounts of real events in various hotels.
I have the series on dvd and love it.
Episode 3 : Back in San Antonio, the show opens in the office of the general manager where he is thanking the front desk manager for helping him hide the tank from his father and dispose of it. The front desk manager smiles and says "No problem, glad to help". The scene flashes to a garage in Los Angeles filled with gang members (and the tank) where one gang member says "Our brother in San Antonio sent us a gift. This will add more meaning to gang warfare" (as he strokes the tank ).
The cast: The patriarch of the family is a rage-aholic who thinks everyone is trying to steal and lie to him. He also owns 2 apartment complexes, 2 trailer parks a huge warehouse and several lots of land in downtown SA.
The matriarch is a serious problem drinker who regularly ties one on and calls the hotel late at night telling all the family secrets to whoever is working that night.
The GM has the front desk manager doing most of the GM's work, so he can tend to important matters like bidding on Ebay or cleaning his guns.
The front desk manager is a nefarious character who was a member of the LA gang called the Bloods as a youth. Unbeknownst to his coworkers he is still a part of the gang. He is morally bankrupt.
The FDM has hired his uncle to work the front desk at the hotel. His uncle hates people and can best be described by the word "antisocial". He almost never speaks to coworkers.
The graveyard shift is handled by a woman who befriends all the cats around the hotel. The FDM hates cats.